Tues 3rd June. On Friday 30th May a group of Pan Afrikan activists and supporters held their annual Afrikan Liberation Day Demonstration outside the London headquarters of Vedanta Resources, highlighting it’s role in plundering and neo-colonising Afrika – particularly in Zambia.
The press release is copied below, and video’s of the demonstration, which included Tamil Parai drummers alongside Afrikan drums can be seen here and here.
Afrikan Liberation Day Demonstration 2014 – In London – Foiling Vedanta resources excesses in Afrika.
A vibrant Pan-Afrikan Society Community Forum (PASCF)/Convention People’s Party (CPP) 2014 Afrikan Liberation Day demonstration took place outside the offices of Vedanta Resources (16 Berkeley St, London W1J 8DZ, England) on Friday 30th May 2014 from 3
to 7pm under the theme: Stop Extractivism: The Last Stage of Neo-colonialism.
The demonstration was in support of the Foil Vedanta Global Grassroots Solidarity Movement which courageously named and shamed Vedanta Resources for its wicked exploitative practices in Zambia and other parts of the world. Contributions exposing the activities of other Trans-nationals in Afrika, together with those of Vedanta in India and Sri Lanka were also made.
The co-ordinator of this year’s event, Brother Omowale of the PASCF said:
“Imperialism’s theft of Afrikan resources is falsely presented as ‘trade’ and Trans-nationals such as Vedanta Resources are the mechanism through which the actual theft is conducted.
Imperialism’s habit of stealing Afrikan resources must be brought to an end. By foiling the trans-national Vedanta Resources we contribute to the liberation of Afrikan and other oppressed people in the world.”
He also rebuked the recent video recorded boast of Vedanta Resources boss Anil Agarwal as “Racist diatribe which must be reported to the Equalities Commission,” before calling
on Vedanta staff to “Come out of your posh offices on to the streets”. He urged “explain yourselves; come out and face us; defend your blood money, defend your racist chairman.” Vedanta’s staff unanimously failed to rise to the challenge. The protesters promised to return.